Filter device

ABSTRACT

A filter device may include a ring filter element arranged in a filter housing in an upright manner. The ring filter element may have an upper end disc, a lower end disc, a filter material arranged therebetween, and a dirt pot provided on the lower end disc. The dirt pot may have a water separator arranged therein and provided on the lower end disc, a protruding pin, and an opening on a base side of the dirt pot. The filter device may include a functional element having a channel configured to receive the protruding pin. A portion of the functional element may be configured to penetrate the opening of the dirt pot such that the ring filter element is sealed at the opening. The portion of the functional element may have at least one water discharge opening. The filter device may be operational when the pin engages into the channel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/496,250, filed May 30, 2012, which is a National Stage ofInternational Application No. PCT/EP2010/062585 filed Aug. 27, 2010,which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2009 041 523.8filed Sep. 15, 2009, all of which are hereby incorporated by referencein their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a filter device having a ring filterelement arranged in a filter housing in an upright manner, which ringfilter element has an upper and a lower end disc. The invention furtherrelates to a ring filter element for such a filter device.

BACKGROUND

A generic filter device is sufficiently known and is to be found inalmost all modern motor vehicles, used for example as an oil- or fuelfilter.

In order to be able to guarantee a problem-free filter effect, it isoften important for the manufacturers of such filter devices that onlyfilter elements which have been authorized or produced by them are used.With the use of filter elements of external brands or imitations, namelynot only can be filter performance be impaired, but at the same timealso damage can be caused. On the other hand, it is desirable to be ableto produce and offer filter elements for such filter devices at asfavourable a cost as possible.

The present invention is therefore concerned with the problem ofproviding for a filter device of the generic type an improved or atleast an alternative embodiment, which in particular enables exclusivelythe use of authorized filter elements.

This problem is solved according to the invention by the subjects of theindependent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of thedependent claims.

SUMMARY

The present invention is based on the general idea of providing a ringfilter element, known per se, which is arranged in an upright manner ina filter housing of a filter device, with a dirt pot on the base side,on which a protruding, nozzle-shaped pin is constructed, by which thering filter element engages into a channel provided on a filter housingpot or on a functional element, in so far as the ring filter element iscorrectly mounted. The dirt pot is arranged here on the lower end discof the ring filter element, wherein the socked-shaped pin is constructedin one piece with the dirt pot, and an operation of the filter device isthen enabled exclusively in so far as the pin of the dirt pot engagesinto the channel on the filter housing pot side or respectively on thefunctional element side. The dirt pot and hence also the socked-shapedpin are preferably constructed here in one piece or in one part with alower end disc of the ring filter element, in particular the dirt pot iswelded onto the lower end disc of the ring filter element, for exampleby means of friction welding, ultrasonic welding or laser welding. Awater separator is provided in addition inside the dirt pot, so that thedirt pot per se can be used both as a dirt-collecting chamber and alsoas a water-collecting chamber, and has on the base side at least oneoutlet for collected dirt or respectively for collected water. With thefilter device according to the invention it is therefore possible thatit can only be used in so far as ring filter elements which fit it areused with the pin on the dirt pot side; the use of other ring filterelements by which under certain circumstances the filter performance ofthe filter device could be impaired, can therefore be reliablyprevented.

In an advantageous further development of the solution according to theinvention, the water separator which is arranged inside the dirt pot isconstructed as a coalescer and at the same time is welded onto the lowerend disc of the ring filter element. Such a coalescer is able to collectand divert water particles and therefore for example to filter out watercomponents present in the fuel, so that these can not arrive into thecombustion engine and cause corrosion damage there. In this case, thefilter device can be constructed for example as an oil- or fuel filter,wherein quite generally a construction as an air filter is alsoconceivable. The water separator is connected here to the lower end discof the ring filter element, in particular is welded on, and can therebybe exactly positioned and fixed before the assembly or respectivelybefore the closing of the dirt pot, which distinctly simplifies themanufacturing process of the filter device according to the invention.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the solution according to theinvention, a guide is provided on the filter housing pot or on afunctional element arranged therein, along which guide the pin of thedirt pot is guided on mounting of the ring filter element to thechannel. Such a guide can be constructed for example in the manner of anincline, which enables an arbitrary insertion of the ring filterelement, so that the latter slides by means of the pin along the guideinto the channel and thereby a correct mounting can always beguaranteed. Such a guide can be realized on the one hand at a favourablecost, for example by a suitable injection mould, and on the other handguarantees a distinctly simplified handling of the filter deviceaccording to the invention, because the ring filter element can beinserted into the filter housing pot in an arbitrary rotation angleposition and can be transferred by a simple twisting into its proper andcorrect position. An incorrect mounting of the ring filter element canbe thereby reliably ruled out.

Further important features and advantages of the invention will emergefrom the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associateddescription of the figures with the aid of the drawings.

It shall be understood that the features mentioned above and to beexplained in further detail below are able to be used not only in therespectively indicated combination, but also in other combinations or inisolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Preferred example embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thedrawings and are explained in further detail in the followingdescription, wherein identical reference numbers refer to identical orsimilar or functionally identical components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There are shown, respectively diagrammatically:

FIG. 1 a ring filter element according to the invention, in a side view,

FIG. 2 a view onto a functional element,

FIG. 3 a cooperation of the ring filter element with the functionalelement,

FIG. 4 an illustration as in FIG. 3, but with a different rotation angleposition of the ring filter element,

FIG. 5 a detail illustration of a pin, projecting in a nozzle shape, ofthe ring filter element before immersion into an associated channel,

FIG. 6 an illustration as in FIG. 5, but after the immersion of the pininto the channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with FIG. 1, a ring filter element 1 according to theinvention has an upper end disc 2 and a lower end disc 3. Between thetwo end discs 2 and 3 a filter material 4 is arranged, for example inthe manner of a pleated star. The ring filter element 1 is arranged herein a similar manner to the illustration in FIG. 1 in an upright mannerin a filter housing, not shown, of a filter device, for example an oil-or fuel filter. According to the invention, on the lower end disc 3 adirt pot 5 is now provided, having a water separator 6 arranged thereinand only sketched by a dashed line. A nozzle-shaped pin 7 is providedprotruding downward on the dirt pot 5, which pin is constructed in acomplementary manner to a channel 9 constructed on the filter housingpot, which is not shown, or on a functional element 8 (cf. FIG. 2) whichis able to be inserted into this filter housing pot which is not shown.An operation of the complete filter device is then possible hereexclusively in so far as the pin 7 engages into the channel 9, which canbe constructed in particular as an idle channel.

Generally, the water separator 6 can be constructed as a so-calledcoalescer and can be welded to the lower end disc 3 of the ring filterelement 1. The welding can take place for example by means of ultrasonicwelding, friction welding or laser welding and guarantees a reliablepositioning and fixing of the water separator 6 on the lower end disc 3of the ring filter element 1, so that in a subsequent working step thedirt pot 5 can be connected with the end disc 3, in particular welded.Of course, a welding of the water separator 6 to the lower end disc 3after the welding of the dirt pot 5 to the lower end disc 3 is alsoconceivable, wherein in this case the water separator 6 must besubsequently introduced through an opening 10 of the dirt pot 5 on thebase side.

On viewing FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5, it can be seen that on the pin 7, i.e. inparticular on its pin head, at least one sealing element 11 is arrangedwhich tightly closes the channel 9 with the pin 7 engaging therein. Theat least one sealing element 11 can be constructed here for example as aconventional O-ring seal. On viewing FIG. 5, it can be seen that the pin7 has a shaft 12 which is cruciform in cross-section, and that the pinhas the previously mentioned pin head adjoining thereto, wherein thecross-section profile of the shaft 12 gives the pin 7 a high degree ofrigidity. For the correct introduction of the pin 7 in the channel 9, aguide 13 can be provided on the filter housing pot or on the functionalelement 8, with which guide in the best case the pin 7 slides along withlow friction to the channel 9. The guide 13 can be constructed here forexample in the manner of an incline.

The invention not only relates here to a complete filter device,consisting of filter housing and filter housing pot and functionalelement 8 arranged therein and ring filter element 1, but also to thering filter element 1 as a separate component, in particular for thespare parts market. Through the construction of the ring filter element1 in one piece together with the dirt pot 5 and in particular throughthe construction of the pin 7 and of the dirt pot 5 in one part, acomplete part can therefore be produced, in particular also for thespare parts market, which on the one hand is favourably priced and whichon the other hand guarantees that no unsuitable and non-authorizedbrands are used, which can weaken the filter performance and thereby,under certain circumstances, can cause damage. Of course, both the pinelement 7 and also the dirt pot 5 can be constructed here fromfavourably priced plastic, in particular as a plastic injection mouldedpart. In the illustrations, the channel 9 is constructed as an idlechannel.

1. A filter device comprising: a ring filter element arranged in afilter housing in an upright manner, the ring filter element having anupper end disc, a lower end disc, a filter material arranged between theupper end disc and the lower end disc, and a dirt pot having a waterseparator arranged therein and provided on the lower end disc, the dirtpot having a protruding pin and an opening on a base side of the dirtpot, the dirt pot being configured to be inserted into a filter housingpot of the filter device, and a functional element having a channelconfigured to receive the pin, a portion of the functional element beingconfigured to penetrate the opening of the dirt pot such that the ringfilter element is sealed at the opening, the portion of the functionalelement further having at least one water discharge opening, wherein thefilter device is operational when the pin engages into the channel. 2.The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the water separator isconstructed as a coalesce and is welded onto the lower end disc of thering filter element.
 3. The filter device according to claim 2, whereinthe dirt pot is welded onto the lower end disc of the ring filterelement.
 4. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the filterdevice is constructed as at least one of an oil filter and a fuelfilter.
 5. The filter device according to claim 1, further comprising atleast one sealing element arranged on the pin, the sealing elementconfigured to tightly close the channel with the pin engaging therein.6. The filter device according to claim 1, further comprising a guidearranged on at least one of the filter housing pot and the functionalelement and configured to guide the pin into the channel.
 7. The filterdevice according to claim 5, wherein the pin has a shaft havingcruciform cross-section and a pin head adjoining thereto, furtherwherein the at least one sealing element is arranged in a region of thepin head.
 8. A ring filter element for a filter device comprising: anupper end disc and a lower end disc, a filter material arranged betweenthe upper end disc and the lower end disc, and a dirt pot provided onthe lower end disc and having a water separator arranged therein,wherein the dirt pot has a protruding pin and an opening on a base sideof the dirt pot, wherein the opening is configured to receive a portionof a functional element such that the ring filter element is sealed atthe opening, and the pin is configured to engage in a channel providedin the functional element such that the filter device is operational. 9.(canceled)
 10. The ring filter element of claim 8, further comprising atleast one sealing element arranged on the pin, the sealing elementconfigured to tightly close the channel with the pin engaging therein.11. The ring filter element of claim 10, wherein the pin has a shafthaving cruciform cross-section and a pin head adjoining thereto, furtherwherein the at least one sealing element is arranged in a region of thepin head.
 12. The ring filter element of claim 8, further comprising aguide arranged on the functional element and configured to guide the pininto the channel.
 13. The ring filter element of claim 8, wherein thewater separator is constructed as a coalesce and is welded onto thelower end disc of the ring filter element.
 14. The ring filter elementof claim 8, wherein the dirt pot is welded onto the lower end disc ofthe ring filter element.
 15. The filter device according to claim 1,wherein the dirt pot is welded onto the lower end disc of the ringfilter element.
 16. The filter device according to claim 15, wherein thefilter device is constructed as at least one of an oil filter and a fuelfilter.
 17. The filter device according to claim 15, further comprisingat least one sealing element arranged on the pin, the sealing elementconfigured to tightly close the channel with the pin engaging therein.18. The filter device according to claim 2, further comprising at leastone sealing element arranged on the pin, the sealing element configuredto tightly close the channel with the pin engaging therein.
 19. Thefilter device according to claim 18, wherein the pin has a shaft havingcruciform cross-section, and a pin head adjoining thereto, furtherwherein the at least one sealing element is arranged in a region of thepin head.
 20. The filter device according to claim 2, further comprisinga guide arranged on the functional element and configured to guide thepin into the channel.
 21. The filter device according to claim 1,wherein the dirt pot operates as a water-collecting chamber within thewater separator.